2014 Winter Olympics: Highlights of Opening Ceremonies in Sochi

As expected, the Opening Ceremonies for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, was a grand production. The spectacle at Fisht Stadium seems to have ranked among the best Opening Ceremonies in Olympic history.

The official American broadcast of the event takes place at 7:30 p.m EST on Friday, but there are tons of pictures and accounts of the event circulating.

Here's some of the moments that will prove most memorable.

The Fireworks

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Ceremonies began with an epic fireworks display that would have impressed fans on Independence Day in the United States. Jim Wilhelm of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review and Jeff Swinger of the Cincinnati Inquirer captured the view from outside Fisht Stadium.

There were some issues at the outset of the show. The Olympic Rings were supposed to float inside the stadium, join together and explode into a pyrotechnic display. However, one ring did not cooperate and thus left this image tweeted by Sportslogosnet's Chris Creamer, floating above the crowd.